Hurling in crisis, insist GPA

THE GPA has demanded that Croke Park consider the commencement of a mass restructuring of hurling at playing and administrative level to save the game from extinction in non-traditional areas.

In ground breaking proposals which will heighten tension between the two bodies, the GPA insist on a complete restructuring of intercounty senior competitions and the creation of hurling committees in every county.

The Players Association claim that: “Hurling in a number of these counties is in danger of becoming extinct. It is time for all in the association (GAA) to take stock and bring to an end the lip service that is paid to ‘promotion of games’ and ‘games development’ because the players, both club and county, who are at the coal-face, see very little of either.”

The GPA and the Weaker Hurling Redevelopment Group have submitted detailed proposals, with the backing of the stronger counties, to Croke Park after players outlined their frustration and annoyance at what they consider to be a total refusal on behalf of the GAA administration to consider their plight.

Now the players are demanding a complete overhaul of the hurling system and are calling for treatment comparable with those in the top flight.

Centrally, they wish that meaningful competitions in lesser counties be provided and played in conjunction with ties in the Munster, Leinster and Ulster SHC, All-Ireland qualifier games and up to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling final.

They also insist that proper structures, finance, coaching, development, public relations and marketing be put in place to promote the competing counties.

The Association and Redevelopment Group believe the meaningful competitions should be divided into two ‘tiers of talented counties’.

They propose that Antrim, Dublin, Derry, Westmeath, among others, compete for The President’s Cup, while the likes of Mayo, Sligo,

Donegal, Cavan, Armagh, Fermanagh and Tyrone are in a separate group which will contest the Tailtean Cup.

“These second and third tier games be televised or at the very least 20 minutes of highlights shown and analysed on the Sunday Game so as to boost the ‘feel good factor’ or importance of these players, with the analysts suggesting where improvements can be made in their game. Separate sponsorship must be allocated to these competitions,” a GPA statement declared.

Former Dublin hurling captain Dave Sweeney, who returned to training last week after a lay off, has warmly welcomed the proposals.

“Absolutely. I would welcome anything which boosts the profile of hurling. We are treated very well here in Dublin but we are still very much second behind football. Yet I know that if the profile is raised it will attract more and more young people to the game.

“But I think that a new format would be great because it offers the likes of Leitrim and Cavan the chance of more that one serious game in the year, raising interest amongst the players and the public in such continues. But we will have to wait and see,” he said.

The proposals have also called on the GAA to reward the winners of those two competitions with foreign holidays as a further incentive.

At grass roots level the ground breaking proposals include a call for “twinning” to take place between the strong and weaker counties in a bid to improve and standardise the levels of coaching and training techniques.

County boards that are perceived primarily as ‘football boards’ will also be expected to demonstrate a genuine willingness to promote hurling to greater effect, while there will be greater onus placed on coaching the game at secondary school level.